Jewish Congresswoman Shot and Gravely Wounded

Tucson, AZ [AP] — Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head Saturday when an assailant opened fire outside a grocery store during a meeting with constituents, killing a 9-year-old boy and a federal judge and wounding several others in a rampage that rattled the nation.

Giffords was among at least 10 people wounded, and the hospital said her outlook was “optimistic” and that she was responding to commands from doctors. The hospital said a 9-year-old child was among the killed, and a U.S. Marshal said a federal judge was also fatally shot in the attack.

Giffords spokesman C.J. Karamargin said an unspecified number of her staff members were injured in the shooting. Congressional officials said an aide to the Democrat was killed, but few details were released about the staff members.

Police say the shooting suspect was in custody, and was identified by people familiar with the investigation as Jared Loughner, 22. Pima County Sheriff’s officials said he used a pistol to carry out the rampage. U.S. officials who provided his name to the AP spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release it publicly.

The shooting prompted an outpouring of sympathy from politicians and people around the country. President Barack Obama called the shooting “an unspeakable tragedy” and that such “a senseless and terrible act of violence has no place in a free society.

”I am horrified by the senseless attack on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and members of her staff,“ newly elected House Speaker John Boehner said. ”An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve. Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society. Our prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, all who were injured, and their families. This is a sad day for our country.“

Former U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, a Louisiana Democrat who knows Giffords well from their participation in Blue Dog Coalition of moderate and conservative House Democrats, was deeply shaken by the news.

”She’s a very solid person, a very friendly person, very outgoing,“ said Melancon, who said her ability to get re-elected in a conservative district in Arizona was testament to how well-liked she is. ”She’s a centrist, it’s not like she’s right-wing or left-wing.“

”This thing, it’s scary,“ said Melancon, who with his wife, Peachy, and former U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., a founder of the Blue Dogs, and his wife, were gathered with friends in Washington to watch the Saints game when they heard the news.

Melancon said they were soon on the phone with U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., another Blue Dog. All were concerned about the recent rising tide of intolerance and anger directed at members of Congress, Melancon said.

”These talk-show people gin these people up, getting their blood pressure up and getting them mad at Democrats,“ said Melancon, noting that he got a taste of it from some tea party folks in Louisiana during his campaign last year for the U.S. Senate. ”They were very loud and very disruptive and didn’t want to hear anything you had to say.“

The shooting, obviously, brings things to a whole other level.

”If this is what America is going to be like, it’s a sad day for America,“ Melancon said.

Rep. Cedric Richmond, a New Orleans Democrat, said he wonders whether the incident is the result of an increasingly heated political environment, adding that he’s eager to hear more about the young man in custody in the shooting.

”I think this less than respectful discourse that we’re having, and the tone of the conversation, is not healthy for a country,“ Richmond said. ”But I really just want to hear what this person has to say, if anything.“

Richmond said he met Giffords in 2002 during a three-week program for senior government executives at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Both were serving in their respective state Houses of Representatives at the time.

”She’s a true public servant. Here she was having a community meeting. Look at her and her husband, an astronaut, giving of himself for this country,“ Richmond said. ”It’s just so disappointing that we have people in this country who would do such a horrific thing, and to so many people.“

In his 11 years in Baton Rouge and his campaigns for Congress, Richmond said he never worried about his security.

”I think it’s something that I may have to think about now,“ he said.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter, Republican of Louisiana, weighed in almost immediately: ”Wendy and I join all other Louisianians in praying urgently and fervently for Congresswoman Giffords and those others who were shot at her town hall meeting. This is a horrible, despicable attack on good people and on our very democracy. We’ll continue our sincere prayer vigil.“

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat, also offered her thoughts: ”I am deeply shocked to hear of this senseless attack on a sitting member of Congress. Congresswoman Giffords and her family are in my prayers. We also pray for the other victims and their families.“

U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, a Republican from Jefferson, said: ”I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic shooting of my colleague Gabby Giffords. There is no place in our free society for this act of violence. Jennifer and I have Gabby and her family, along with the others who were shot, in our prayers.“

U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge. called the shooting ”a terrible event.“

”Our prayers are with Gabrielle, along with all the victims of this tragedy and their families,“ he said.

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, a Republican from Louisiana, said: ”My thoughts and prayers are with Representative Gabrielle Giffords, her staff and their families, and all who were injured in this senseless attack. This act of violence is an assault on our democracy and our nation and has no place in our society. This is truly a sad day for our country.“

U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader in the House, released this statement: ”This terrible act of violence is a national tragedy, and today is a very sad day for our country. My prayers, and the prayers of all Members of Congress, go out to her husband, Captain Mark Kelly, their family, and to all of the staff and others who were victims of this horrible attack.“

”Congresswoman Giffords is a brilliant and courageous Member of Congress, bringing to Washington the views of a new generation of national leaders,“ Pelosi said. ”It is especially tragic that she was attacked as she was meeting with her constituents whom she serves with such dedication and distinction.“

After the shooting, members of Congress received a message from the Capitol Police, alerting them to the incident and advising them to ”take reasonable and prudent precautions.“

”Federal, state and local law enforcement authorities in Arizona are investigating a shooting in Tucson, Arizona in which Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot,“ the message stated. ”Multiple others were shot as well. Congresswoman Giffords has been transported to a local medical facility with serious injuries. The suspect is in custody. No further details on the motive or other victims are available at this time. The U.S. Capitol Police are directly involved in this investigation. As more information is developed, it will be provided. In the interim, all Members and staff are advised to take reasonable and prudent precautions regarding their personal security.“

Three hours after the shooting, the L-shaped shopping center in Tucson was blocked off by police and had fire trucks and other vehicles in its parking lot that blocked the view of the store’s front door. No shell casing could be seen from the area 500 yards from the store where reporters and photographers were kept.

Outside Giffords’ office on Capitol Hill, a handful of congressional staffers could be seen walking into her office without comment, some with roller bags and one who was in tears. About a half dozen yellow flowers, placed by one mourner, sat outside the door.

U.S. Marshal for Arizona David Gonzales confirmed to the Associated Press that U.S. District Judge John Roll also died in the attack.

Giffords, 40, the first Jewish congresswoman from Arizona, was re-elected to her third term last November. She was a member of the Arizona House and Senate before coming to Washington.

Giffords tweeted shortly before the shooting, describing her ”Congress on Your Corner“ event: ”My 1st Congress on Your Corner starts now. Please stop by to let me know what is on your mind or tweet me later.“

Giffords is married to astronaut Mark E. Kelly, who has piloted space shuttles Endeavour and Discovery. The two met in China in 2003 while they were serving on a committee there, and were married in January 2007.

Giffords was first elected to Congress amid a wave of Democratic victories in the 2006 election, and she won a narrow victory against a tea party favorite in the 2010 election.

She has been mentioned as a possible Democratic nominee in 2012 for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Jon Kyl, who has not said whether he’ll run again, or for the governor’s office in 2014.

The shooting comes amid a highly charged political environment that has seen several dangerous threats against lawmakers but nothing that reached the point of actual violence.

A San Francisco man upset with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s support of health care reform pleaded guilty to threatening the Democratic congresswoman and her family, calling her directly on March 25 and threatening to destroy her Northern California home if she voted for health care reform.

In July, a California man known for his anger over left-leaning politics engaged in a shootout with highway patrol officers after planning an attack on the ACLU and another nonprofit group. The man said he wanted to ”start a revolution“ by killing people at the ACLU and the Tides Foundation.

Giffords herself has drawn the ire of the right, especially for her support of the health care bill from politicians like Sarah Palin.

Her Tucson office was vandalized a few hours after the House vote to approve the health care law in March, with someone either kicking or shooting out a glass door and window.

Despite the animosity she has generated from the right, Giffords describes herself as a former Republican and current Blue Dog Democrat.

”You know, actually as a former Republican, you know, I consider myself someone who is pretty in the middle, I’m a blue dog Democrat, and one that is interested in making sure that our country maintains our prosperity and frankly, our superiority over other countries and that’s where we look at these threat, obviously our defense budget, our level of education,“ she said in an interview with Fox News Channel this week.

Capitol police responded to the shooting by advising lawmakers and their staff to ”take reasonable and prudent precautions regarding their personal security.”